The Silver Lion ( it, Leone d'argento, also known as Silver Lion for Best Direction) is an annual award presented for best directing achievements in a feature film at official competition section of the

Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival he ...

since 1998. The prize has been awarded irregularly and has gone through several changes of purpose. Between 1953 and 1994, the award was given infrequently to a number of films as second prize for those nominated for the

Golden Lion The Golden Lion ( it, Leone d'oro) is the highest prize given to a film at the Venice Film Festival. The prize was introduced in 1949 by the organizing committee and is now regarded as one of the film industry's most prestigious and distinguishe ...

. At various times, the Silver Lion has also been awarded for debut films, short films, and direction.

Silver Lion for Best Direction (1990–present)

Multiple winners

The following received two Best Director awards:

Defunct awards

Silver Lion Prize (1953–1994)

From 1953 to 1957, the Silver Lion was awarded to a number of films nominated for the

as a second prize. Since 1988, the Silver Lion has been given to one or more films nominated for the Golden Lion. * 1953 ** '' Little Fugitive'' by

Raymond Abrashkin Raymond Abrashkin (March 9, 1911 – August 25, 1960) was an American writer and filmmaker. He is known for writing, co-producing, and co-directing '' Little Fugitive'' and for co-creating and co-writing with Jay Williams the ''Danny Dunn'' ser ...

Morris Engel Morris Engel (April 8, 1918 – March 5, 2005) was an American photographer, cinematographer and filmmaker best known for making the first good-quality, internationally-recognized American film "independent" of Hollywood studios, ''Little Fugit ...

, and

Ruth Orkin Ruth (or its variants) may refer to: Places France * Château de Ruthie, castle in the commune of Aussurucq in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département of France Switzerland * Ruth, a hamlet in Cologny United States * Ruth, Alabama * Ruth, Arka ...

** ''

Moulin Rouge Moulin Rouge (, ; ) is a cabaret in Paris, on Boulevard de Clichy, at Place Blanche, the intersection of, and terminus of Rue Blanche. In 1889, the Moulin Rouge was co-founded by Charles Zidler and Joseph Oller, who also owned the Olympia (P ...

'' by

John Huston John Marcellus Huston ( ; August 5, 1906 – August 28, 1987) was an American film director, screenwriter, actor and visual artist. He wrote the screenplays for most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered ...

** ''

Sadko Sadko (russian: Садко) is the principal character in a Russian medieval epic ''bylina''. He was an adventurer, merchant, and ''gusli'' musician from Novgorod. Textual notes "Sadko" is a version of the tale translated by Arthur Ransome in ...

'' by

Aleksandr Ptushko Aleksandr Lukich Ptushko (russian: Александр Лукич Птушко, – 6 March 1973) was a Soviet animation and fantasy film director, and a People's Artist of the USSR (1969). Ptushko is frequently (and somewhat misleadingly) referred ...

** ''

Thérèse Raquin ''Thérèse Raquin'' is an 1868 novel by French writer Émile Zola, first published in serial form in the literary magazine ''L'Artiste'' in 1867. It was Zola's third novel, though the first to earn wide fame. The novel's adultery and murder ...

'' by

Marcel Carné Marcel Albert Carné (; 18 August 1906 – 31 October 1996) was a French film director. A key figure in the poetic realism movement, Carné's best known films include '' Port of Shadows'' (1938), ''Le Jour Se Lève'' (1939), '' The Devil's Envoys ...

** ''

Ugetsu , is a 1953 Japanese historical drama and fantasy film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi starring Masayuki Mori and Machiko Kyō. It is based on two stories in Ueda Akinari's 1776 book of the same name, combining elements of the ''jidaigeki'' (peri ...

'' by

Kenji Mizoguchi was a Japanese film director and screenwriter, who directed about one hundred films during his career between 1923 and 1956. His most acclaimed works include ''The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums'' (1939), ''The Life of Oharu'' (1952), ''Uget ...

** ''

I Vitelloni ''I vitelloni'' (, literally "The bullocks" - Romagnol slang for "The slackers" or "The layabouts") is a 1953 comedy-drama film directed by Federico Fellini from a screenplay written by himself, Ennio Flaiano and Tullio Pinelli. It stars Franco ...

'' by

Federico Fellini Federico Fellini (; 20 January 1920 – 31 October 1993) was an Italian film director and screenwriter known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and most i ...

* 1954 ** ''

On the Waterfront ''On the Waterfront'' is a 1954 American crime drama film, directed by Elia Kazan and written by Budd Schulberg. It stars Marlon Brando and features Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger, Pat Henning, and Eva Marie Saint in her film debut. ...

'' by

Elia Kazan Elia Kazan (; born Elias Kazantzoglou ( el, Ηλίας Καζαντζόγλου); September 7, 1909 – September 28, 2003) was an American film and theatre director, producer, screenwriter and actor, described by ''The New York Times'' as "one o ...

** ''

Sansho the Bailiff is a 1954 Japanese period film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi. Based on a 1915 short story of the same name by Mori Ōgai (usually translated as "Sanshō the Steward" in English), which in turn was based on a folktale, it follows two aristocratic ch ...

'' by

** ''

Seven Samurai is a 1954 Japanese epic samurai drama film co-written, edited, and directed by Akira Kurosawa. The story takes place in 1586 during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. It follows the story of a village of desperate farmers who hire seven ...

'' by

Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese filmmaker and painter who directed thirty films in a career spanning over five decades. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. Kurosawa displayed a bold, dyna ...

** ''

La Strada ''La strada'' () is a 1954 Italian drama film directed by Federico Fellini and co-written by Fellini, Tullio Pinelli and Ennio Flaiano. The film tells the story of Gelsomina, a simple-minded young woman (Giulietta Masina) bought from her mother ...

'' by

* 1955 ** ''

Le Amiche ''Le Amiche'' (, lit. "The girlfriends") is a 1955 Italian drama film directed by Michelangelo Antonioni and starring Eleonora Rossi Drago, Gabriele Ferzetti, Franco Fabrizi, and Valentina Cortese. Based on Cesare Pavese's 1949 novella ''Tra don ...

'' by

Michelangelo Antonioni Michelangelo Antonioni (, ; 29 September 1912 – 30 July 2007) was an Italian filmmaker. He is best known for directing his "trilogy on modernity and its discontents"—''L'Avventura'' (1960), ''La Notte'' (1961), and ''L'Eclisse'' (1962 ...

** ''

The Big Knife ''The Big Knife'' is a 1955 melodrama directed and produced by Robert Aldrich from a screenplay by James Poe based on the 1949 play by Clifford Odets. The film stars Jack Palance, Ida Lupino, Wendell Corey, Jean Hagen, Rod Steiger, Shelley Winter ...

'' by

Robert Aldrich Robert Burgess Aldrich (August 9, 1918 – December 5, 1983) was an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. His notable credits include '' Vera Cruz'' (1954), ''Kiss Me Deadly'' (1955), ''The Big Knife'' (1955), '' Autumn L ...

** ''

Ciske de Rat ''Ciske de Rat'' ("Ciske the Rat") is the first part of a trilogy by Dutch author Piet Bakker. It is part of the Ciske trilogy which was written between 1941 (publication was however delayed by paper shortages until 1942) and 1946. The book was p ...

'' by

Wolfgang Staudte Wolfgang Staudte (9 October 1906 – 19 January 1984), born Georg Friedrich Staudte, was a German film director, script writer and actor. He was born in Saarbrücken. After 1945, Staudte also looked at German guilt in the cinema. Alongside He ...

** '' The Grasshopper'' by

Samson Samsonov Samson Iosifovich Samsonov (russian: Самсо́н Ио́сифович Самсо́нов; 23 February 1921 – 31 August 2002) was a Soviet and Russian film director and screenwriter, he was granted the honorary title of People's Artist of the ...

* 1956 – no award * 1957 – ''

Le Notti Bianche ''White Nights'' ( it, Le notti bianche, french: Nuits blanches) is a 1957 romantic drama film directed by Luchino Visconti, based on Fyodor Dostoevsky’s 1848 short story of the same name. It was written for the screen by Visconti and Suso Cec ...

'' by

Luchino Visconti Luchino Visconti di Modrone, Count of Lonate Pozzolo (; 2 November 1906 – 17 March 1976) was an Italian filmmaker, stage director, and screenwriter. A major figure of Italian art and culture in the mid-20th century, Visconti was one of the fat ...

* 1988 – ''

Landscape in the Mist ''Landscape in the Mist'' ( gr, Τοπίο στην ομίχλη, translit. ''Topio stin omichli'') is a 1988 Greek film directed by Theo Angelopoulos. The film was selected as the Greek entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 62nd ...

'' by

Theo Angelopoulos Theodoros "Theo" Angelopoulos (; ; 27 April 1935 – 24 January 2012) was a Greek filmmaker, screenwriter and film producer. He dominated the Greek art film industry from 1975 on, and Angelopoulos was one of the most influential and widely re ...

* 1989 ** ''

Recordações da Casa Amarela ''Recollections of the Yellow House'' ( pt, Recordações da Casa Amarela) is a 1989 Portuguese film directed by João César Monteiro. Plot João de Deus, a middle-aged man, lives in a cheap boarding house in an old part of Lisbon. He relies on ...

'' by

João César Monteiro João César Monteiro Santos (2 February 1939, in Figueira da Foz – 3 February 2003, in Lisbon) was a Portuguese film director, actor, writer and film critic. Life and career João César Monteiro was born into a family with anti-clerical ...

** ''Death of a Tea Master'' by

Kei Kumai was a Japanese film director from Azumino, Nagano prefecture. After his studies in literature at Shinshu University, he began work as a director's assistant. He won the Directors Guild of Japan New Directors Award for his first film, '' Nihon r ...

* 1990 – no award * 1991 ** ''

Raise the Red Lantern ''Raise the Red Lantern'' is a 1991 film directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Gong Li. It is an adaptation by of the 1990 novella '' Raise the Red Lantern'' (originally ''Wives and Concubines'') by Su Tong. The film was later adapted into an ...

'' by

Zhang Yimou Zhang Yimou (; born 2 April 1950) is a Chinese film director, producer, writer, actor and former cinematographer.Tasker, Yvonne (2002). "Zhang Yimou" i''Fifty Contemporary Filmmakers'' Routledge Publishing, p. 412. . Google Book Search. Retriev ...

** ''

The Fisher King ''The Fisher King'' is a 1991 American fantasy comedy-drama film written by Richard LaGravenese and directed by Terry Gilliam. Starring Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges, with Mercedes Ruehl, Amanda Plummer, and Michael Jeter in supporting roles, ...

'' by

Terry Gilliam Terrence Vance Gilliam (; born 22 November 1940) is an American-born British filmmaker, comedian, animator, actor and former member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam has directed 13 feature films, including ''Time Bandits'' (1981), ''B ...

** ''

J'entends plus la guitare ''J'entends plus la guitare'' (also known as ''I Don't Hear the Guitar Anymore'' and ''I Can No Longer Hear the Guitar'') is a 1991 French semi-autobiographical drama film written and directed by Philippe Garrel. It was screened in competition at ...

'' by

Philippe Garrel Philippe Garrel (; born 6 April 1948) is a French director, cinematographer, screenwriter, film editor, and producer, associated with the French New Wave movement. His films have won him awards at Cannes Film Festival and Venice Film Festival. ...

* 1992 ** '' Hotel de lux'' by

Dan Pița Dan Pița (; born 11 October 1938 in Dorohoi, Botoșani County, Romania) is a Romanian film director and screenwriter. Career Pița has directed several award-winning films since 1970, including the 1985 hit ''Pas în doi'', which won an Honourab ...

** ''

Jamón Jamón ''Jamón'' (, pl. ''jamones'') is a kind of dry-cured ham produced in Spain. It is one of the most globally recognized food items of Spanish cuisine. It is also regularly a component of tapas. Most ''jamón'' is commonly called ''jamón serrano ...

'' by

Bigas Luna José Juan Bigas Luna (19 March 1946 – 5 April 2013) was a Spanish film director, designer and artist. His films are typically characterised by a strong emphasis on the erotic, often related to food, something for which he admitted a strong ...

** '' Un cœur en hiver'' by

Claude Sautet Claude Sautet (23 February 1924 – 22 July 2000) was a French film director and screenwriter. He was a chronicler of post-war French society. He made a total of five films with his favorite actress Romy Schneider. Biography Born in Montroug ...

* 1993 – '' Kosh ba kosh'' by

Bakhtyar Khudojnazarov Bakhtyar Khudojnazarov (Russian/ tg, Бахтиёр Худойназаров, fa, بختیار خدای‌نظرف) (May 29, 1965 – April 21, 2015) was a film director, producer and screenwriter from Tajikistan. His most internationally famou ...

* 1994 ** ''

Heavenly Creatures ''Heavenly Creatures'' is a 1994 New Zealand biographical psychological drama film directed by Peter Jackson, from a screenplay he co-wrote with his partner, Fran Walsh, and starring Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey in their feature film debuts ...

'' by

Peter Jackson Sir Peter Robert Jackson (born 31 October 1961) is a New Zealand film director, screenwriter and producer. He is best known as the director, writer and producer of the ''Lord of the Rings'' trilogy (2001–2003) and the ''Hobbit'' trilogy ( ...

** '' Little Odessa'' by

James Gray James, Jim, or Jimmy Gray may refer to: Politicians * James Gray (Australian politician) (1820–1889), member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly * James Gray (British politician) (born 1954), British politician * James Gray (mayor) (1862–1916 ...

** ''

Il toro ''Il toro'' (also known as ''The Bull'') is a 1994 Italian comedy-drama film directed by Carlo Mazzacurati. The film entered the 51st Venice International Film Festival, where it was awarded with the Silver Lion and the Volpi Cup for best support ...

'' by

Carlo Mazzacurati Carlo Mazzacurati (2 March 1956 – 22 January 2014) was an Italian film director and screenwriter born in Padua. He started his cinema career in 1980. His better known films include ''Il Toro'' (1994) and ''La lingua del santo'' (2000). H ...

Silver Lion for Best First Work(1981–1982)

* 1981 ** '' Do You Remember Dolly Bell?'' by

Emir Kusturica Emir Kusturica ( sr-cyrl, Емир Кустурица; born 24 November 1954) is a Serbian film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and musician. He also has French citizenship.http://www.serbia.com/emir-kusturica-artist-builder-and-anti-glo ...

* 1982 ** ''

Sciopèn ''Sciopèn'' (also known as ''Chopin'') is a 1982 Italian comedy film directed by Luciano Odorisio. The film entered the competition at the 39th Venice Film Festival, in which it won the Silver Lion for best first work. Odorisio was awarded best ...

'' by

Luciano Odorisio Luciano Orodisio (born Chieti, 7 March 1942) is an Italian actor, screenwriter, and film and television director. Filmography Actor * '' Uccideva a freddo'', directed by Guido Celano (1966) (Italian) * ''Il seme dell'uomo'', directed by Marco ...

** '' The Hes Case'' (''De smaak van water'') by

Orlow Seunke Orlow Seunke (born 22 September 1952) is a Dutch director, screenwriter and producer. Life and career Born in Amsterdam, Seunke studied at the Dutch Film Academy, graduating in 1975. After directing several shorts and TV works, he made his feat ...

Silver Lion for Best First Film (1983–1987)

* 1983 – ''

Sugar Cane Alley ''Sugar Cane Alley'' ( French title: ''La Rue Cases-Nègres'') is a 1983 film directed by Euzhan Palcy. It is set in Martinique in the 1930s, when Africans working sugarcane fields were still treated harshly by their white employers. It is based o ...

'' by

Euzhan Palcy Euzhan Palcy (; born 13 January 1958) is a French film director, screenwriter, and producer. Her films are known to explore themes of race, gender, and politics, with an emphasis on the perpetuated effects of colonialism. Palcy's first feature ...

* 1984 – '' Sonatine'' by

Micheline Lanctôt Micheline Lanctôt (born May 12, 1947) is a Canadian actress, film director, screenwriter, and musician. Biography Lanctôt was born in Frelighsburg, Quebec. Her post-secondary education was in music, fine arts, and theatre at École de musique ...

* 1985 – ''

Dust Dust is made of fine particles of solid matter. On Earth, it generally consists of particles in the atmosphere that come from various sources such as soil lifted by wind (an aeolian process), volcanic eruptions, and pollution. Dust in homes ...

'' by

Marion Hänsel Marion Hänsel (née Ackermann; 12 February 1949 – 8 June 2020)A King and His Movie ''A King and His Movie'' ( es, La película del rey) is a 1986 Argentine comedy drama film, directed by Carlos Sorín, and written by Sorín and Jorge Goldenberg. The movie features Ulises Dumont and Julio Chávez, among others. In a survey of th ...

'' by

Carlos Sorín Carlos Sorín (born 1944 in Buenos Aires, Argentina) is a film director, screenplay writer, cinematographer, and film producer. He works mainly in the cinema of Argentina.

* 1987 – ''

Maurice Maurice may refer to: People *Saint Maurice (died 287), Roman legionary and Christian martyr *Maurice (emperor) or Flavius Mauricius Tiberius Augustus (539–602), Byzantine emperor * Maurice (bishop of London) (died 1107), Lord Chancellor and L ...

'' by

James Ivory James Francis Ivory (born June 7, 1928) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. For many years, he worked extensively with Indian-born film producer Ismail Merchant, his domestic as well as professional partner, and with screen ...

Silver Lion for Best Screenplay (1990)

* 1990 – ''Sirup'' by Helle Ryslinge

Silver Lion for Best Short Film (1996–2007)

* 1996 – '' O Tamaiti'' by

Sima Urale Sima Urale is a New Zealand filmmaker. Her films explore social and political issues and have been screened worldwide. She is one of the few Polynesian film directors in the world with more than 15 years in the industry. Her accolades include th ...

* 1999 – '' Portrait of a Young Man Drowning'' by Teboho Mahlatsi * 2000 – '' A Telephone Call for Genevieve Snow'' by

Peter Long Peter Long (born 4 June 1952) is an English businessman. He is the chairman of Royal Mail and Countrywide. Early years Long was born in Malta, as his father was serving in the Royal Navy. He attended Price's Grammar School in Fareham, Hampsh ...

* 2001 – '' Freunde'' by

Jan Krüger Jan, JaN or JAN may refer to: Acronyms * Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US, Amtrak station code JAN * Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi, US, IATA code * Jabhat al-Nusra (JaN), a Syrian militant group * Japanese Article Numbe ...

* 2002 – ''

Clown A clown is a person who performs comedy and arts in a state of open-mindedness using physical comedy, typically while wearing distinct makeup or costuming and reversing folkway-norms. History The most ancient clowns have been found in ...

'' by Irina Evteeva * 2003 – ''

Neft National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) is an electronic funds transfer system maintained by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Started in November 2005, the setup was established and maintained by Institute for Development and Research in Bankin ...

'' by Murad Ibragimbekov * 2004 – '' Signe d'appartenance'' by

Kamel Cherif Kamel ( ar, كامل }) is a given name meaning ''perfect'' or ''the perfect one''. It may refer to: People with the given name Kamel * Abdullah Kamel Abdullah Kamel Al Kandari (born 1973), Kuwaiti extrajudicial prisoner of the United States * ...

* 2005 – '' Xiaozhan'' by Chien-ping Lin * 2006 – '' Comment on freine dans une descente?'' by

Alix Delaporte Alix Delaporte (born 1969) is a French film director and screenwriter. Life and career Delaporte studied at the London School of Economics between 1988 and 1989, and in 1993, she obtained a master's degree in contemporary history. During her scre ...

* 2007 – ''

Dog Altogether ''Dog Altogether'' is a short film written and directed by Paddy Considine. The term "Dog Altogether" comes from an Irish expression that Considine's father used to use when situations got really bad. It was filmed on 22 January 2007 in Glasgow ...

'' by

Paddy Considine Patrick George Considine (born 5 September 1973) is an English actor, director, and screenwriter. He frequently collaborates with filmmaker/director Shane Meadows. He has received two British Academy Film Awards, three Evening Standard Britis ...

Silver Lion for Revelation (2006)

* 2006 –

Emanuele Crialese Emanuele Crialese (born 27 May 1965) is an Italian screenwriter and film director. He is a native of Rome and studied filmmaking in New York City. Biography Emanuele Crialese was born on July 26, 1965 in Rome to Sicilian parents. He studied filmm ...

for ''

Nuovomondo ''Nuovomondo'' (literally "new world" in Italian; English world-wide title ''Golden Door'') is a 2006 drama film based on a family's migration from Italy to New York City, U.S.A. at the beginning of the 20th century. The film, written and directed ...

References

External links

La Biennale di Venezia official website
{{The Silver Lion Venice Film Festival Awards for best director Italian film awards Lists of films by award